Tisagenlecleucel (intravenous route)
Available brands
Kymriah
About this medication
Tisagenlecleucel injection is used to treat B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) that has come back a second or later time or after other medicines did not work well in patients up to 25 years of age. Leukemia is a type of cancer where the body makes abnormal white blood cells. Tisagenlecleucel injection is also used to treat follicular lymphoma (FL) and large B-cell lymphoma (including diffuse large B-cell lymphoma [DLBCL], high grade B-cell lymphoma, or DLBCL from follicular lymphoma) that has come back or after 2 or more lines of treatment did not work well. Lymphoma is a type of cancer where the body makes abnormal white blood cells. Tisagenlecleucel injection is an antineoplastic (cancer) medicine that is made from your own white blood cells, which have been modified to recognize and attack your cancer cells. Before you begin treatment, talk to your doctor about the benefits of this medicine as well as the possible risks of receiving it. This medicine is available only under a restricted distribution program called Kymriah® REMS (Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy) Program. This product is available in the following dosage forms:
Before using this medication
In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For this medicine, the following should be considered: Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully. Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated pediatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of tisagenlecleucel injection in children withALL. Safety and efficacy have been established. Appropriate studies have not been performed on the relationship of age to the effects of tisagenlecleucel injection in children withDLBCL and FL. Safety and efficacy have not been established. Appropriate studies have not been performed on the relationship of age to the effects of tisagenlecleucel injection in the elderly. Safety and efficacy have not been established. There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding. Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. Tell your healthcare professional if you are taking any other prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicine. Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. Discuss with your healthcare professional the use of your medicine with food, alcohol, or tobacco. The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:
How to use this medication
A nurse or other trained health professional will give you this medicine in a hospital or cancer center. It is given through a needle placed into one of your veins. The medicine must be injected slowly, so your IV tube will need to stay in place for less than an hour. It is given 2 to 14 days (for ALL), 2 to 11 days (for DLBCL), or 2 to 6 days (for FL) after completing treatment with other cancer medicines (eg, fludarabine, cyclophosphamide, bendamustine). You should stay within 2 hours of the office or center to check for unwanted effects for at least 4 weeks receiving this medicine. It is very important that you understand the requirements of the Kymriah® REMS program, and become familiar with the Kymriah® medication guide. Read and follow these instructions carefully. Ask your doctor if you have any questions. Ask your pharmacist for the medication guide if you do not have one. This medicine needs to be given on a fixed schedule. If you miss a dose, call your doctor, home health caregiver, or treatment clinic for instructions.
Disclaimer: August is a health information platform and its responses don't constitute medical advise. Always consult with a licenced medical professional near you before making any changes.